Police Investigating Cemetery Damage In Martinsburg

Police Investigating Cemetery Damage In Martinsburg

West Virginia State Police are investigating after they say several crypts may have been tampered with at two Martinsburg cemeteries.&nbsp;

MARTINSBURG, WV - West Virginia State Police are investigating after they say several crypts may have been tampered with at two Martinsburg cemeteries.

The first incident happened Sunday at Rosedale Funeral Home and Cemetery in the 900-block of Cemetery Road.

Police say they responded to a breaking and entering call and that's when the General Sales Manager reported damage inside two mausoleums and that several crypts and caskets may have been disturbed.

On Tuesday, May 14, a caretaker at Pleasant View Cemetery noticed damage to the mausoleum buildings located on the south side of the property.

Police say further investigation revealed that approximately 50 to 60 crypts have been disturbed between the two cemeteries. They believe these incidents have possibly been occurring over an unknown period of time.

Police say the suspects removed the granite plates and the caskets, and appeared to have opened them. The caskets were then placed back inside the crypts and plates re-secured. They believe its possible whoever is responsible could have been searching for valuables buried with the deceased.

"Right now we're still in the process of gathering information. The investigations pretty young so our next step is to try and contact family members and proceed from there," says Ryan Eshbaug, West Virginia State Police.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper Z.S. Conner at West Virginia State Police at 304-267-0001.